Where are you Jesus?

A rather long time ago—as a text in one class in Bible college we had to read:  Hide and Seek.  Hide and Seek, is a best selling book by Dr. James Dobson in which he helps parents “raise self-confident, healthy children. By applying the strategies outlined here, youngsters need not hide in shame but can gain the courage to seek the best from their world (http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/329775.Hide_or_Seek:   accessed 30 Oct, 2014)."  

The title is obviously a takeoff the old game 'hide and go seek.' We all played it as children—or as grandparents!   But, sometimes don’t you think Jesus likes a good game of hide and seek?  Sometimes you go looking for Jesus, and He seems to be hiding!

We have all done this at one time or another—looked for Jesus.  We are hurt, lonely, confused, sick, in trouble, struggling—or whatever—and we set out on a search—where is Jesus?  Where is His presence?  Where is His love?  Where is His mercy?  Compassion?  Power?  Touch?  Where on earth is Jesus?   Why can’t we find Him?  Where is He?  Where did He go?

Mary and Joseph experienced this as well.  “Every year his parents went to Jerusalem for the Feast of the Passover. When he was twelve years old, Jesus' family went up to the Feast, according to the custom. After the Feast was over, while his parents were returning home, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but they were unaware of it. Thinking he was in their company; they traveled on for a day. Then, they began looking for him among their relatives and friends. When they did not find him, they went back to Jerusalem to look for him. After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. Everyone who heard him was amazed at his understanding and his answers. When his parents saw him, they were astonished. His mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for you.” “Why were you searching for me?” he asked. “Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?” But, they did not understand what he was saying to them. Then, he went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. But, his mother treasured all these things in her heart. And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and men.” Luke 2:41-52, NIV.

Mary and Joseph are frantically searching for Jesus—with no luck.  He is not with the traveling group.  He is not with neighbours, cousins, nor wandering or lagging behind the entire group.  As the narrative tells us they head back to Jerusalem and find Jesus in the temple area interacting with the teachers.   Upon confronting Jesus (i.e. we did not want to play hide and seek—as we never want to play either!) —Jesus responds:  “Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house.”

Here are a couple of other translations of that verse:

“And He said to them, “Why did you seek Me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father’s business?”” Luke 2:49, NKJV.

“And He said to them, “Why is it that you were looking for Me? Did you not know that I had to be in My Father’s house?”” Luke 2:49, NAS95.

This ‘about my Father’s business’, is a phrase that grabs our attention in the narrative.   This is somewhat of a difficult phrase to translate.  The original simply uses the noun ‘Father’.  The original actually reads: ‘in the… of my Father,’ which is obviously missing a definite noun.  To answer the question of the missing noun, the translators have chosen one of two ways.   The NKJV inserts the noun business.  The NAS95 inserts the noun house.

Perhaps Luke deliberately used ambiguous language—because both of these interpretation fits the Lucan narrative.

Think of it this way:

1.  Mary and Joseph—obviously Jesus would be at the temple—His Father’s house. 

2.  Mary and Joseph—obviously Jesus would be conducting business associated with His calling and mission.

Here is the point—when Jesus is missing—He is found where Father’s presence and business is being conducted.  It is not that Jesus is hiding when we are suffering in our pain, in our sorrow, disappointment, and struggles—we are just looking in the wrong places.   To find Jesus—go to where Father’s business is being conducted and you will find Him.  

Go to the lonely—and you find Jesus.

Go to the hungry—and you will find Jesus. 

Go to the discouraged—and you will find Jesus. 

Go to the sick—and you will find Jesus. 

Are we looking in the wrong places to find Jesus?